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Gladiators vs Zalmi, 1st Qualifying Final at Sharjah, , Feb 28 2017 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
1st Qualifying Final, Sharjah, February 28, 2017, Pakistan Super League
(20 ov, T:201) 199/9

Gladiators won by 1 run

Player Of The Match
71 (38)
ahmed-shehzad
New
PZ
Full commentary
end of over 205 runs • 3 wickets
PZ: 199/8CRR: 9.95 
Daren Sammy11 (11b 1x4)
Mohammad Nawaz 4-0-51-3
Anwar Ali 4-0-25-1

12.20 am That's all we have on ball-by-ball. Thanks for tuning in to the game, we hope you enjoyed it. Do come back for the second playoff between Islamabad and Karachi tomorrow [or well technically later today]. It's sure to be a belter too.

"Credit to the whole team for this victory, there was massive dew. I just told Nawaz, this is your time to become a hero," Sarfraz Ahmed says, "All credit to him too, to bowl the yorkers in such difficult conditions. Shehzad's batting was really good, gave us all the momentum. We knew we could defend 200. The belief was strong and we are into our second PSL final. Lots of tension, lots of pressure, and we're thankful for coming through and we're very happy. Thanks to the crowd for supporting both teams, even if they did support Peshawar more"

"It's a repeat of last year," Darren Sammy says, "I thought we did well to restrict them to 200 after the start they had. To bowl the last 10 overs for 70 runs, that was a good comeback. And then losing two quick wickets, the way Hafeez and Malan batted and Shahid in the end... I suppose cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. First ball I thought I should finish the game, so I refused the single, but I backed the guys. Hasan, Wahab have all got runs for us. But the cricket Gods thought otherwise. We did everything to get ourselves into the finals. I guess mentally we have to be strong to come back against whoever we face. When you get so close and you lose, it's always difficult [mentally]"

Ahmed Shehzad is the Man of the Match, and his first responsibility is to take a selfie with the mascot. "I've been working hard," he says, "There have been ups and downs, but you have to stay strong. I had good support. Then I had a good domestic season and I was really pumped up for the PSL. If I continue like this, I can do wonders for the country, I guess. KP is a big player. And when you're with him, you can always have a good run-rate going and you can put a good foundation. Hats off to him"

12.00 am That's the second straight one run win for Quetta Gladiators against Peshawar Zalmi in PSL playoff matches. And what a game it was. First the pyrotechnics from Ahmed Shehzad (71 off 38) and Kevin Pietersen (40 off 22, with a 101 m six). Then the comeback from Peshawar with the ball, and taking that momentum into the chase, Mohammad Hafeez (77 off 47) and Dawid Malan (The fastest fifty for Peshawar) struck such beautiful fifties to keep the game alive.

Then Shahid Afridi tonked it all over the park and it seemed like a straightforward win when the equation was 20 off 18. But Nawaz took over from there on. Took a pressure catch to get rid of Afridi. Then nailed the yorkers in the final over to defend a mere six runs to put his team in the final in Lahore. Peshawar still have a chance of playing for the title. They will await the winners of the second playoff, which takes place on March 1, between Islamabad United and Karachi Kings

Saaib Uppal: "Unbelievable! Last year, Peshawar needed 8 from the final over and went 0, 4, 1, W, W, 1. This year, they needed 7 and went 0, 4, 1, W, W, 0!"

19.6
W
Nawaz to Hasan Ali, OUT

Quetta have won it! Nawaz you absolute beauty! With a wet ball, with massive dew around, with great pressure on him, he bowls the yorker, he trusts himself to bowl the yorker. Hasan digs it out and overbalances. He tries to make his crease again, sees Sarfraz pick up the ball, and then bizarrely tries to run. After that, it was basic for the wicketkeeper to topple the stumps

Hasan Ali run out (†Sarfaraz Ahmed) 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

Two off one ball and the proper batsman Sammy is stuck in the non-strikers' end. Long chat between him and the incoming batsman Hasan Ali. Now Sarfraz and Nawaz are in conversation...

19.5
W
Nawaz to Wahab Riaz, OUT

he's gone! Quetta are cock a hoop! This is a yorker. Wahab flicks and just about saves himself from being bowled. But then looking all around, he can't see the ball, he thinks he's hit it away somewhere and goes for a run. Except the ball is right there, bouncing into Sarfraz's gloves, and he takes off the stumps with glee

Wahab Riaz run out (†Sarfaraz Ahmed) 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

Two off two needed. Could we be in for a super over? Wahab Riaz is the new man in

19.4
W
Nawaz to Jordan, OUT

caught behind. Great take from Sarfraz. This is a flatter delivery outside off, Jordan tries a cut and feathers an edge through to the Quetta captain to keep up the tension

Chris Jordan c †Sarfaraz Ahmed b Mohammad Nawaz 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

Jordan to face with two needed off three. Nawaz wiping the ball down vigorously

19.3
1
Nawaz to Sammy, 1 run

tosses it up outside off, Sammy looks to smear it through cover but gets an inside edge to fine leg

19.2
4
Nawaz to Sammy, FOUR runs

short third man goes for the catch, running back, but he is unable to hold on. A big miscue from Sammy, and the outside edge bounces off the right hand of Tymal Mills and onto the boundary

Sarfraz comes up to his bowler to have a quick chat

19.1
Nawaz to Sammy, no run

nails the blockhole outside off, Sammy jams his bat down, finds cover. Tiny misfield, but it doesn't cost Quetta

Nawaz to bowl the last over with seven needed off six

end of over 198 runs • 1 wicket
PZ: 194/6CRR: 10.21 RRR: 7.00
Daren Sammy6 (8b)
Chris Jordan0 (0b)
Anwar Ali 4-0-25-1
Tymal Mills 4-0-45-1
18.6
1
Anwar Ali to Sammy, 1 run

short and wide outside off, cut to deep point to retain strike

18.5
W
Anwar Ali to Afridi, OUT

this is high, this will need some catching and Nawaz takes a blinder. Change of pace works for Anwar and Quetta. Afridi thinks this is simply a length ball and so swings into the leg side. Ends up mistiming it and the fielder at deep midwicket takes it nervelessly. Would have had his heart thudding somewhere near his throat for at least two minutes - that's how long the ball was in the air

Shahid Afridi c Mohammad Nawaz b Anwar Ali 34 (13b 1x4 4x6) SR: 261.53
18.4
Anwar Ali to Afridi, no run

short ball, outside off, Afridi loads up the pull, but misses

Afridi giving himself a birthday present. He'll become 37 in about 10 minutes

18.3
6
Anwar Ali to Afridi, SIX runs

tonks it again. It's length, and Afridi gets under it to send the ball soaring into the crowd again, this time beyond long-on

18.2
1
Anwar Ali to Sammy, 1 run

short ball, drags it from outside off with a pull to deep midwicket

18.1
Anwar Ali to Sammy, no run

beats the right-hander with a good length ball that nibbles just enough away off the pitch

Peshawar need 15 off 12 to make the PSL final

end of over 185 runs
PZ: 186/5CRR: 10.33 RRR: 7.50
Daren Sammy4 (5b)
Shahid Afridi28 (10b 1x4 3x6)
Tymal Mills 4-0-45-1
Mohammad Nawaz 3-0-46-2

Jmani: "To La-La Land in Moon-light :p"

17.6
1
Mills to Sammy, 1 run

shortish and outside off, carves it up and over point

17.5
1
Mills to Afridi, 1 run

back of a length, with all the pace drawn off it, Afridi dabs it to long leg

17.4
1
Mills to Sammy, 1 run

whips it away off his pads to long leg, who suffers a little fumble

zee: "....& Afridi takes his team to "La-la Land!"... :)"

17.3
Mills to Sammy, no run

goes for a bouncer just outside off, Sammy shoulders arms

17.2
1
Mills to Afridi, 1 run

full on off stump, defends and picks the single to deep cover

17.1
1
Mills to Sammy, 1 run

back of a length and outside off, drills it through to deep cover

Peshawar need only 20 off 18 balls to make the PSL final

end of over 1714 runs • 1 wicket
PZ: 181/5CRR: 10.64 RRR: 6.66
Shahid Afridi26 (8b 1x4 3x6)
Daren Sammy1 (1b)
Mohammad Nawaz 3-0-46-2
Tymal Mills 3-0-40-1

yugesh karki: "Is there any chance of afridi withdrawing his retirement and come back to International game again. He still plays like a champ." And after the hit, KP comes up and has a friendly chat with Afridi

16.6
6
Nawaz to Afridi, SIX runs

into the crowd at long-off. Charges down the pitch - what a sickening sight that must be for a bowler - and deposits a good length ball outside off over the boundary and into a clump of his rabid fans

16.5
1
Nawaz to Sammy, 1 run

lifts a fuller delivery over cover

Captain Darren Sammy's in. His team needs 27 off 20 balls

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